


Smudge & Steve's Excellent Adventure

by angelskuuipo



Series: Possibilities 'verse [8]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Animals Being Awesome, Feels, GFY, Gen, Nightmares, POV Animal, Possible Tissure Warning? I'm not sure, Steve Needs a Hug, Steve Rogers Has PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 11:35:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8012083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelskuuipo/pseuds/angelskuuipo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Smudge helps Steve when he’s having a bad night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Smudge & Steve's Excellent Adventure

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shanachie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shanachie/gifts).



> Disclaimer: Recognisable characters are not mine. Original characters and the story itself, however, are. Please do not copy or repost without my express permission.
> 
> I’m trying something a bit different here. I decided to do a story from Smudge’s point of view. I wanted to show her helping Steve through one of his nightmares. Steve snuck in there with his perspective, too. I hope it works. This takes place sometime between 'Life is Good' and 'Rugrat'. This is also an early birthday gift for my friend and beta, Shanachie. No, this isn’t the prompt you gave me, but it demanded to be written first. I will hopefully have your other story ready by the big day. :D Big thanks to Elisabeth for the beta.
> 
> Written: September 9, 2016  
> Word Count: 1,474

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Steve tossed and turned, twisting the sheets around his legs; pinning him down until he couldn’t move. He fought in his sleep to get away. It seemed like he was always fighting. He never stopped.

He couldn’t stop.

~(*)~

Smudge woke up and looked around blearily. Yawning, she grudgingly got up and checked on her humans. James-dad and Darcy-mom were sleeping soundly, so they weren’t the ones that woke her up.

It had to be one of the other pack members.

She trotted to the door and looked up at the nearest corner where JARVIS-friend lived. The door opened for her and she dipped her head in thanks. The elevator was already waiting for her, so Smudge got on and waited for JARVIS-friend to take her where she needed to be.

Of course. Captain-Steve-friend.

Captain-Steve-friend needed her almost as much as James-dad. Sometimes more, she thought, but James-dad was _hers_ and Darcy-mom was _hers_ and she wasn’t going to leave them; even if it only meant two floors between them.

Captain-Steve-friend needed a forever-friend of his own.

Smudge decided to see if she could do something about that. Maybe Prince-Thor-friend could help her, since he was the only one that really understood her. He could translate so the others would know and understand. She’d have to wait and see.

JARVIS-friend opened Captain-Steve-friend’s door for her and she wasted no time in getting to the bedroom. Smudge whined in sympathy at the fear-anger-pain-lost scent that permeated the room. She caught the edge of the blanket and sheets and started pulling, trying to untangle him from their grip.

Captain-Steve-friend kicked out and bopped her in the nose with his foot. Smudge yelped in surprise and a little bit of pain and let go, moving out of range. That stung.

Captain-Steve-friend surged up and looked around his room wildly. Smudge knew he hadn’t meant to hit her, but she couldn’t help the way her ears drooped or the way she cringed back a little when his gaze finally landed on her.

“JARVIS, lights at twenty percent, please,” Captain-Steve-friend gasped out.

The lights came up a little and she looked up at him from the corner of her eye.

“Smudge?”

She wagged her tail half-heartedly as she watched him untangle himself from the sheets and scrub his hands over his face. When he patted the bed she only hesitated for a moment before she jumped up and let him bury his face in her neck.

Captain-Steve-friend _was_ her friend. He needed help like James-dad did and that’s what she was here for.

~(*)~

Steve came out of his nightmare when his foot connected with something soft and wet and he heard a high-pitched yelp. He bolted upright and searched his room, the images of faceless Hydra soldiers fading into reality, and he saw the shadowy outline of Smudge a few feet from his bed.

Had he kicked her in his sleep?

“JARVIS, lights at twenty percent, please,” he requested. He winced at the terror he could hear in his breathless voice.

The lights came up slowly and cast a warm glow, chasing away more of the shadows. Smudge was indeed sitting on the floor at the foot of his bed. Her ears had dropped and she was leaning away from him.

“Smudge?”

She gave him a little tail wag, but didn’t move any closer.

Damn it.

Steve untangled the bedding and scrubbed his hands over his face. He patted the mattress beside him and was truly thankful when Smudge jumped up and let him hold her. He buried his face in her scruff and breathed in her clean dog scent.

“Think I need to up my sessions with the Doc again,” he mumbled into her coat.

It had taken him a while to work up the courage after his talk with Darcy, but he’d eventually asked Bu- _James_ , damn it; his name was _James_ , if he would mind sharing his therapist. He’d never forget the look on _James_ ’s face when he asked, but after a minute or so he’d shrugged and said, “Sure.”

Dr. Andrews had thought it would be a conflict of interest for her to see both of them, so she had referred Steve to a colleague of hers, Dr. Collier. Dr. Collier reminded Steve a little bit of Peggy, which made him more and less comfortable with her. He eventually settled down and the Doc seemed to be helping. He was making progress, but his nightmares were still pretty bad.

The really irritating part was that he couldn’t pinpoint what set them off. There was no rhyme or reason that he could tell and it was really starting to tick him off.

Smudge whined and Steve guiltily loosened his grip. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m so sorry.” He gentled his touch and pet her softly. Smudge licked his cheek in forgiveness.

He didn’t deserve a friend like her.

As if she read his mind, Smudge huffed, nipped his ear, and then headbutted him so he would look at her. His lips twitched at the glare she was giving him, so who knew? Maybe she was telepathic. If aliens could invade earth from a portal to the other side of the universe, why couldn’t a dog be psychic?

~(*)~

“I don’t deserve a friend like you.”

If she hadn’t had such good hearing, Smudge would have missed the words Captain-Steve-friend breathed into her neck. What kind of malarky was that? She got to decide who deserved her friendship and Captain-Steve-friend definitely did. Flail-y limbs and sometimes-too-tight grips and all. He gave good cuddles and runs and liked to play frisbee with her and Clint-friend.

She huffed at him and bit his ear, lightly, and then nudged him so she could glare at him properly. Tell her what he did and didn’t deserve. Nuh-uh.

She huffed at him again to make her point.

Captain-Steve-friend scritched her behind her ears and her tongue fell out of her mouth as her eyes closed in bliss. She wanted to glare at him some more, but he found _that spot_ and she couldn’t maintain her indignence. It felt too good.

“Want to go for a run with me, sweetheart?”

She managed to open her eyes at the word ‘run’. Did she want to run? Yes, yes she did.

~(*)~

Steve grinned at the look of bliss on Smudge’s face as he scratched her ears. So easy to please. He looked at the clock and saw that it was a little after five. He wasn’t going to get anymore sleep right now, so he might as well get up. Maybe a run would help him clear the cobwebs some more and he could get his thoughts in order for when he called Dr. Collier later.

“Want to go for a run with me, sweetheart?”

He snickered as he watched Smudge struggle to open her eyes. She blinked at him and then nodded enthusiastically. She gave a little yip as if to make sure he understood that yes, she did want to run with him.

“Okay, then. Let me get dressed and we’ll go.”

Smudge hopped down and left him alone. He heard her munching on the dog food he always had available for her in the kitchen. All of the Avengers, even Tony, kept bowls of food and water for her in their apartments. She might belong to James and Darcy, but everyone took comfort in her and responded in kind.

Listening to her eat reminded Steve that he should probably eat as well. He grabbed an apple to eat on the way down and picked up the leash he kept on the breakfast bar.

“Ready, Smudge?”

~(*)~

Smudge eyed the leash with distaste. She didn’t like being tethered, but James-dad had explained it was necessary, even when she was wearing her vest. At least Captain-Steve-friend wouldn’t put it on her until they got ready to leave the building.

She barked once and preceded him out the door when he opened it.

“JARVIS, if James or Darcy wake up before we get back, would you let them know Smudge is out for a run with me?”

“Of course, Captain. Enjoy your outing.”

“Thank you.”

Smudge looked up at Captain-Steve-friend and headbutted him in approval. She was glad he thought to let James-dad and Darcy-mom know she’d gone out. She didn’t want them to worry.

As they stepped out of Home, Smudge put her nose in the air to take in the scents. Maybe they’d come across Captain-Steve-friend’s forever-friend. That would be good. She’d definitely be alert.

Captain-Steve-friend started to jog and she kept pace next to him. Right where she belonged until James-dad or Darcy-mom or one of the other packmates needed her.

-30-


End file.
